Are there American-trained doctors in San Miguel de Allende?
Melanie Lansing - Mexico Insurance Advisors
Yes, there are American-trained doctors here in San Miguel de Allende. I know a few who have received their specialty degrees and/or specialty courses in the US or Europe. There are also American naturopaths who are practicing here without a medical license in Mexico. They are popular among the English-speaking expats who prefer homeopathic medicine. We also have two Mexican doctors who have duo degrees in general medicine & homeopathy. They offer cutting edge alternative...
Yes, there are American-trained doctors here in San Miguel de Allende. I know a few who have received their specialty degrees and/or specialty courses in the US or Europe. There are also American naturopaths who are practicing here without a medical license in Mexico. They are popular among the English-speaking expats who prefer homeopathic medicine. We also have two Mexican doctors who have duo degrees in general medicine & homeopathy. They offer cutting edge alternative medicine such as stem cell & anti-aging therapies.
(H+ doctors, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
There has never been a hurricane in Panama for as long as weather has been recorded ....never. I am a permanent resident in Panama now and I have lived in Panama for about seven years, one block from the Caribbean Ocean.
I have always had a dream of retiring and living in the tropics. For a long time I thought the retirement country would be Mexico, near Playa del Carmen. I traveled throughout most of Mexico for many years in my motorhome and...
There has never been a hurricane in Panama for as long as weather has been recorded ....never. I am a permanent resident in Panama now and I have lived in Panama for about seven years, one block from the Caribbean Ocean.
I have always had a dream of retiring and living in the tropics. For a long time I thought the retirement country would be Mexico, near Playa del Carmen. I traveled throughout most of Mexico for many years in my motorhome and I knew Mexico very well. One big problem for me with Mexico though was all the hurricanes ... especially where I wanted to be, on the Caribbean coast.
That's when I found out about Panama. No hurricanes, democratic government, great cost of living, two oceans (one hour drive apart) and great benefits for retirees. I traveled to Panama, saw the whole country on several trips, checked out all the "gringo" hot spots and decided the Caribbean was the best place for me. We build a new house on the Caribbean and we have been living happily ever since ..... and no hurricanes.
For me, Spain would be one of the best places in the world to live. I love Spain. The cost of living in Spain is less expensive than most of Europe, the people are great, very fun and lively, and the climate is terrific. In Spain, there’s so much to see if you’re interested in castles and medieval history, beaches, and beautiful mountains. The food in Spain is also great. Overall, I find the people as one of the biggest draws to Spain.
The second best place in the...
For me, Spain would be one of the best places in the world to live. I love Spain. The cost of living in Spain is less expensive than most of Europe, the people are great, very fun and lively, and the climate is terrific. In Spain, there’s so much to see if you’re interested in castles and medieval history, beaches, and beautiful mountains. The food in Spain is also great. Overall, I find the people as one of the biggest draws to Spain.
The second best place in the world to live is Brazil. Brazil has an absolutely stunning natural beauty. It’s absolutely beautiful. In addition, the people are one of Brazil’s best resources and the cost of living in Brazil is much lower than in the United States.
However, people are getting a bad impression of Brazil because of the way the press shows crime. The crime in Brazil is not really as bad as people think or say. Brazil is just like Mexico, where you get respected if you mind your own business, do your own thing, and stay out of areas where you shouldn’t be, anyway. I lived in Brazil for over a year and can attest to that based on my experience. I never had one problem at all in Brazil. In fact, I had more problems in New York and Chicago than I had in Brazil.
How's the weather in Ambergris Caye? What's the average temperature in Ambergris Caye?
Matthew Hoy - Pelican Properties
The weather in Ambergris Caye is very consistent. Throughout the year it is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). The fluctuations of the weather is around 20 degrees in Fahrenheit or 10 to 15 degrees in Celsius over the course of the year from the coldest to the hottest.
Ambergris Caye is surrounded by a copious amount of salt water so we do get humidity but we also get a great ocean breeze that is fairly consistent. The breeze provides...
The weather in Ambergris Caye is very consistent. Throughout the year it is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). The fluctuations of the weather is around 20 degrees in Fahrenheit or 10 to 15 degrees in Celsius over the course of the year from the coldest to the hottest.
Ambergris Caye is surrounded by a copious amount of salt water so we do get humidity but we also get a great ocean breeze that is fairly consistent. The breeze provides natural air-conditioning to the island. Humidity here generally runs from 80% to 100% humidity. On some days we have even had as low as 50% humidity. Humidity is definitely something that exists here along with the beautiful sea breezes.
Most people who come from North America, tend to use their air-conditioning a lot when they first arrive here in Ambergris Caye. But once you have been here for approximately 6 to 8 months, the air-conditioning stops becoming much of a factor. Typically, most people use it at night to sleep and just enjoy the sea breezes during the day. I only use my air-conditioning at night to sleep. I live on the ground floor of a fixed unit condo building.
(First floor condo in Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
How much does it cost for a gardener in Managua, Nicaragua?
Gabriel Sánchez - PRONicaragua
The cost for a gardener in Managua depends whether you employ the gardener full time or per day. If you employ the gardener full time, from Monday through Friday, your cost will be around US $100 per month. If you hire someone to come to your house once a week, it can be around $10 to $15 for that day.
(Plumeria alba, national flower of Nicaragua, pictured.)
The cost for a gardener in Managua depends whether you employ the gardener full time or per day. If you employ the gardener full time, from Monday through Friday, your cost will be around US $100 per month. If you hire someone to come to your house once a week, it can be around $10 to $15 for that day.
(Plumeria alba, national flower of Nicaragua, pictured.)
The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.
Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well. People are investing in “buy to rent”...
The Portuguese banks are not in a great state of health. The Spanish banks are in much better shape. However, Portuguese banks have a guarantee of up to 100,000 euros, which is provided by the Portuguese government. So generally, I would feel secure putting my money into a Portuguese bank account.
Currently, we have virtually negative interest rates, which is why the property market is doing well. People are investing in “buy to rent” because you get close to nothing on your deposits at the bank.
But as far as making deposits into a Portuguese bank, it is very secure because of the insurance that you will not lose your deposit. These banks are now subject to stress tests, which are conducted by the European Banking Authority, so if they do not have enough capital then they have to find it and raise it.
If you’re like me, you’ve got a song in your head pretty much all the time. Sometimes, you know why it’s there, and sometimes, you don’t. Sometimes, you don’t even know where you heard the song.
That’s exactly what happened to me towards the end of our stay in the Ajijic area, as I was walking back from the corner store with some pastries. If you’ve read my first two stories on Ajijic and the Lake Chapala area, you know...
Our move to Panama happened after the economic downturn of the Obama administration took its toll on our quality of life. Yes, it was more than that, too. The cost of medical care skyrocketing, the cost of everything going up never down. Increased taxes, poor air quality, too many sick days and frankly after two...
I absolutely love this part of Panama! Playa Venao is an excellent surf spot, a lovely beach, the crowds are very relaxed and chilled out. El Sitio is a great beach side bar restaurant with the best view of the surfing on the beach. If you plan on a visit to this part of Panama on the Azuero Peninsula, this is also where I would recommend you stay.